Winter 2016 | Ventures

On Aug. 30, members of the University community and their guests gathered at Owings Mills North to celebrate the opening of the Kevin J. Manning Academic Center.

The 200,000-square-foot renovated building was designed to provide current and future students with state-of-the-art, expansive learning spaces. Now, a capital campaign focused on the center is inspiring benefactors— including Stevenson’s Trustees, friends of the University, local foundations, and companies—to step forward.

To date, more than $13 million has been raised to support the creation of the space and the opportunities for learning inside it. Now Stevenson’s largest academic space, the Manning Academic Center houses the School of Design, the Sandra R. Berman School of Nursing and Health Professions, and the Beverly K. Fine School of the Sciences.

The Sandra R. Berman School of Nursing and Health Professions

Malcolm and Sandy Berman are steadfast supporters and friends of Stevenson University. Sandy, a Stevenson Trustee and a leader in the greater community, has actively worked to guarantee that our healthcare and education systems are strong and thriving.

Continuing their extraordinary support of the community and connecting two of Sandy’s areas of interest, the Bermans made a leadership gift toward the Academic Center Campaign, which Stevenson is recognizing through the naming of the Sandra R. Berman School of Nursing and Health Professions.

The Beverly K. Fine School of the Sciences

Stevenson received a second leadership gift from The Beverly K. and Jerome M. Fine Foundation. Trustees of the Foundation, Louis and Phyllis Friedman, were introduced to Stevenson by their friends, Malcolm and Sandy Berman, and selected Stevenson University as the beneficiary of this monumental gift. The Friedmans believe that this naming gift is an ideal project for the Foundation and a fitting way to honor and remember Mrs. Fine. The School of the Sciences will now be known as the Beverly K. Fine School of the Sciences.

The inaugural Alumni Board Service Project took place on March 29 at the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge in Baltimore. Members of the Alumni Board prepared dinner for a group of individuals receiving local cancer treatments, along with their caregivers. Coordinated by the Alumni Board’s Engagement Committee, the event was a great success. According to Committee Chair Blaire Miller ’05, the experience “really brought us closer together but it also shows our commitment to the community.” The committee intends to host an annual service project and to support the efforts of service initiatives developed by Stevenson students.

Alumni volunteers received a generous donation of food from Terra’s Kitchen to prepare that evening. Thanks to the generosity of two members of the company’s marketing team, Jaime Elwood ’01 and Mike Tyler ’02, ingredients were supplied for a chicken dish that was served to 40 guests. Following the meal preparation, volunteers were able to sit down and enjoy dinner with the guests residing at Hope Lodge. This event truly demonstrates the meaningful impact that can result when our alumni continue to engage with their alma mater.

Stevenson alumni and friends gathered at Boordy Vineyards on Sept. 24 to enjoy wagon rides, winemaking tours and tastings, and refreshments at the SU alumni tent.

1960

Patricia “Pat” Raftery Kelly is very proud of her grandchildren. Shannon Kelly Will is studying for a Ph.D. in physical therapy from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and Jason Anthony Will is a senior at the University of Maryland majoring in business. Their mother is Pat's daughter, Laura Kelly Will '83.

1983

Wendi Wagner Peters was appointed by Governor Larry Hogan to a Cabinet position as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Planning effective July 6, 2016. She previously served as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Planning and has 25 years of experience in municipal government affairs.

1986

Dawn Stefanik '86 '95 participated in Vice President Joe Biden’s Cancer Moonshot Summit on June 29 at Howard University in Washington, D.C. The Oncology Nursing Society was asked to submit names to participate in this event, and of the 11 names submitted only six were chosen, one of whom was Dawn. Other participants included physicians, researchers, and advocacy groups. The Vice President and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, hosted the event and actress Carol Burnett was the moderator. The goal was to generate ideas on various topics related to cancer to help the Vice President focus on the best way to move the Cancer Moonshot Initiative forward. Dawn is the Nurse Manager-Infusion Center and Infusion Pharmacy at the Sandra and Malcolm Berman Cancer Institute at GBMC.

1990

Robert “Bob” Steinberg and his wife, Melissa, welcomed their third child, Salinger Morrissey, on April 27. Bob's radio career (where he uses the name Bob Stei) grew as well, juggling weekends at WCHR-FM (105.7 the Hawk) New Jersey Shore and adding nights at WCZT (98.7 The Coast) Atlantic City while doing several fill-ins at WMGK Philadelphia.

2001

Jennifer Verch has joined Hertzbach & Company, P.A. as a senior manager in the Healthcare Industry Services Group. She is a member of the Stevenson Alumni Association Board.

Julia Pettingill Webster, CPSM, was recently promoted to Marketing Manager, Environmental at Rummel, Klepper & Kahl, LLP. In this new role she will work to leverage her experience with the company's Environmental Group, where she has concentrated her efforts over the last two years, and will be dedicated to this group in elevating their marketing and business development efforts. Julia received her professional registration in 2009 as a Certified Professional Services Manager.

2002

Ugonna Anyaugo DPM, FACFAS, is now Board Certified by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery and is a Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.

2004

Kisha Belton graduated in May with a Master of Science degree in Strategic Communications from Columbia University's School of Professional Studies. In early 2016 she was promoted to Director of Communications for Somerset County YMCA in Basking Ridge, N.J.

2006

Jessica Bensley recently moved to Oregon to accept a Senior Global Product Management position with Keen Footwear based in Portland. She previously worked at the Original Muck Boot Company/Honeywell in Rhode Island.

2007

Michele Giannini Price and her husband, Matthew Price '05 '06M, are expecting their first child in January 2017.

2009

Heather Grafton Baxivanos '09 '10M is working as a Forensic Scientist in the Cecil County State's Attorney's Office. She and her husband, Greg, welcomed a baby boy, Liam Nikolaos, on August 31.

Michael Buratowski '09M is the Senior Vice President of Cybersecurity Services at Fidelis Cybersecurity, and over the summer he was interviewed and quoted extensively by national and international news organizations about the Democratic National Committee breach and subsequent email release.

Eric Drinks, Ph.D., is engaged to marry his graduate school sweetheart, Renny Eapen, Ph.D., in October. Both are Adjunct Professors of Psychology at SU. Eric also started his own private practice with Spectrum Behavioral Health in Crofton, Md. He graduated from Chestnut Hill College with a doctorate in clinical psychology.

Justin Switzer is a librarian at the Southeast Anchor Library of the Enoch Pratt Free Library system in Baltimore City. For two years he has successfully hosted a comic/pop culture convention at the library to kick off the Summer Reading Program. Because of this he was contacted by Library Journal, a leading library magazine, to be interviewed for a July article on staging a convention, and he was included in the photo that was featured on the front cover of the magazine.

2010

John Amoroso, M.D., and his wife, Nurse Practitioner Halie Heyman Amoroso '12, are proud to announce the birth of their first child, Thomas Michael, born on June 21.

Ross Bergey and Ashley Celentano '10 were married in 2010 and reside in Berlin, Md. They have two sons, Ross Andrew (Drew), who is five years old, and Cole Michael, who is three years old, and are expecting their third child in Feb. 2017. Ashley is an accountant with Bergey & Co., and Ross is a manager at Taylor Bank.

Kimberly “Kim” Moxley is working as a Group Therapist at Family & Children's Services of Carroll County, Domestic Violence Services.

Heather Caldwell Swain and her husband, Brian, welcomed their first child, Landon Boone, born on March 31, 2016.

June Struder Whalen and her husband, Joseph, welcomed a son, Thomas, on April 8, 2016.

2011

Ali Blais has launched a new website to promote her brand as a certified yoga instructor. She specializes in power sequences that exercise the mind, body, and spirit. She left her career as Director of Development with the American Heart Association to follow her passion for wellness and hopes to one day own her own studio.

Randy Bond and his wife, Elizabeth Kyte Bond '14, welcomed their first child, Brooks, on June 30.

Cierra Norris married Hank Jackson on Sept. 12, 2015, and the couple have a son named Easton. She is now working part time at BB&T while enrolled at McDaniel College in the Counseling Education Program with the goal of becoming a school counselor after completing the three-year program.

2011 Continued

Rachael Hartman and Lawrence Serra '10 were married in August 2014.

Jessica Swing received a Master of Arts degree in May from the University of Baltimore, majoring in Publications Design.

2012

Audrey Buchanan '12 '14M began working at Anne Arundel Medical Center as a data analyst last January and four months later was promoted to Senior Quality Data Analyst. She is a member of the Advisory Board for the Healthcare Management graduate program at SU. She became engaged on May 29, 2016 to James Williams, a law enforcement officer in Washington, D.C.

Rachel Buchanan '12 '13M began training in May for a position as a Forensic Chemist with a federal agency. She graduated in August and began working in September in Miami, Fla. Previously she was a lab tech for the U.S. Army Public Health Center.

Kelly French is graduating in December with a master’s degree in public health in Health Services, Policy and Management from the University of South Carolina.

In 2015 Michael Manning was accepted into Teach for America and began a rewarding career in the classroom. He is a science teacher and the science department lead at the Monarch Academy in Baltimore City. Michael sends his thanks to the entire SU science department for their persistence, knowledge, and willingness to recognize potential in their students and the ability to awaken that potential.

Laurel Moody, RN, MS, MSN was honored with the 2016 Maryland Star of Life Award for Emergency Medical Services for Children from the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services System. This award recognizes an individual or program that has demonstrated ongoing dedication and commitment to improving the care for children and for promoting family-centered care in a Maryland EMS program or hospital. Laurel is Assistant Professor of Nursing at SU.

2013

Caroline “CJ” Durham '13M has been named head coach of the women's lacrosse team at Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill. Previously she was with Hanover College in Indiana where she was charged with starting the women's lacrosse program from scratch. CJ got her start in coaching as a graduate assistant at SU.

Gary Gray was recently accepted into the prestigious MBA program at Howard University. He has worked for more than a year at Howard as an employment recruiter and enjoys the campus community life.

Kristen Lubeski and Daniel Murphy '13 welcomed the arrival of their first child, Riley Arthur, on July 1.

Samantha “Sam” Murray '13 '15M is in her second year working in the Athletics Department at SU as the Assistant Sports Information Director.

Janae Winder received a Master of Education degree in School Counseling last January from Loyola University Maryland, and in October she completed the last three classes needed to be a licensed counselor. Janae lives in New Jersey and commutes to Philadelphia every day, traveling between two schools as a Family Connections Counselor to provide counseling and consultation services to students and families.

2014

Andrew Boyer is working in SU’s Admissions Office where he is the counselor for students from Perry Hall High School in Baltimore County as well as Delaware, Southern New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. While a student at SU, Andrew was an ambassador in the Admissions Office. He also played NCAA soccer, served as president of Mission: I'm Home, and was public relations director for the SGA.

Taylor Julia Carr is working as an assistant teacher at The Harbour School in Owings Mills, Md.

William “Bill” Carrigan '14M has been appointed Deputy Commissioner of the Securities Division in the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation. He joined the division in 2007 as a securities examiner and had served as Director of Examinations and Enforcement since 2014. Bill is a certified fraud examiner with more than 20 years of experience in the securities industry, and he is a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and the North American Securities Administrators Association.

Julia Tucker '14 '15M was selected to sing the national anthem during the Catonsville, Md., fireworks on July 4 and was also part of the local parade.

Joseph Wamba and Caitlin Kwedar '13 are engaged and are making plans for a fall 2017 wedding.

Maria Zambuto married Christopher Karolenko '14 in June 2015, and the couple welcomed their first child in October.

2015

Tyree Brown has joined the Maryland National Guard and is working as a Military Police Officer.

Samantha Caesar-Johnson '15M is working as a Scientific Analyst at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md.

Sean Paul is working as a Cyber Security Analyst at Leidos in Washington, D.C.

2016

Neill Baker traveled to the Philippines in July to serve as a coastal resource management volunteer in the Peace Corps. He went through pre-service training and was sworn in as a Peace Corps Volunteer in September and began his two years of service.

Meghan DeRoose is working as a junior graphic designer at Nations Photo Lab in Hunt Valley, Md.

Benjamin Peters is working as a Cloud Security Engineer at the MITRE Corporation.

Matthew “Matt” Powel is working as a laboratory technician in the Bioservices Department at Thermo Fisher in Rockville, Md.

After graduation last May, Trevor Rill took a two week birthright trip to Israel. He is a working at Pikesville Middle School teaching College and Career Readiness and is pursuing a master's degree in coaching education from Ohio University.

Patrick Schuyler is working as a Business Operations Associate at TEKsystems in Hanover, Md.

Zuryna Smith is working as a Communications Specialist at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield.

Lanie Swanhart has started her own business, McLane Communications, which provides assistance in business and personal public relations, design, and social media needs.

Have fun with your very own origami Wild Stang this holiday season. Check out the video to see how to assemble your origami stang.

Bonus: Take a photo of your origami Wild Stang and post it on SU’s Facebook page at facebook.com/stevensonuniversity. We’ll give a gift for Editor’s Choice Award, either Baltimore Speakers Series tickets or tickets for next year’s Bull and Oyster Roast. Show us what you’ve got! #foldthestang #origamistang

Each issue of Ventures highlights Office of University Advancement projects and programs.

The purpose is to create philanthropic opportunity for any and all who want to partner with this institution to provide access to education and to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world. Why? The reasons go back to Stevenson’s foundation. When Sr. Julie Billiart founded the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in France in 1804, a free school for girls was soon opened and a legacy of creating access to education was cemented. The order grew and came to America, continuing this mission. In 1947 they established Villa Julie Junior College and Medical Secretarial School, the forerunner to Stevenson University. The purpose: to provide opportunities for young women to learn for learning’s sake and give them the skills and knowledge for an expanding workforce.

Nearly 70 years later, the faculty and staff of Stevenson University come to campus each day because they know that access to education ensures a knowledgeable and prepared citizenry. And those in University Advancement come to campus each day because the rising costs to teach and train students create a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge is to ensure that those who want to study at SU can study at SU. The opportunity is to invite alumni, parents, friends, corporations, and foundations to engage with and help meet this challenge.

In the printed version of this issue, please note the honor roll of donors. The pages of names are meant to thank those listed, to celebrate the growing number of supporters, and to highlight the work that has and can be done for Stevenson students. There is a rich history here with possibility always on the horizon.

So when you read in these pages or in a letter, or learn in a phone call why the University is asking for support, please know that it is because of one goal: Ensuring that students who want to come here have the resources to thrive here. That’s why the Office of University Advancement engages those who believe in and want to support education—because it changes everything. To make your gift through our secure online site visit stevenson.edu/ givetosu.

In September, Stevenson was ranked among the top 20 percent of colleges and universities nationally in average annual salary earned by its graduates and in the diversity of its student body as determined by the inaugural Wall Street Journal/ Times Higher Education College and University Rankings.

The rankings also surveyed students directly on three factors, whether 1) they consider that their college was the right choice for them; 2) is it worth the money; and 3) their education effectively provides preparation for a career. Student respondents “strongly agreed” that Stevenson meet all three criteria.

The WSJ/Times rankings include only 1,061 U.S. colleges and universities that completed the survey out 4,000 institutions nationwide. These rankings take a deeper look at factors such as student engagement, campus environment, and postgraduate success as measures of educational quality. Says Kevin J. Manning, Ph.D., “All of these results testify to the value of a Stevenson education and the hard work and commitment of people throughout our campus community.”